


Lunation

by Beautiful_Doom, TheSpaceCoyote



Category: Borderlands, Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: Basically Jack goes down on Alien Rhys' weird genitals, Eridian Prince AU, M/M, Oral Sex, Oviposition, Royal!Rhys, Xenophilia, alien!Rhys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-07-28 23:19:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7661071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautiful_Doom/pseuds/Beautiful_Doom, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpaceCoyote/pseuds/TheSpaceCoyote
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Well well well. Hello there.” Jack chuckled as he drew back, the little tentacles following him, curiously prodding at his nose and lips. The human smirked, giving them a cheeky kiss as he looked up at the prince. Rhys was panting, a deep purple blush spread all over his face, the spots on his chest and shoulders shining brightly with the alien’s arousal.</p><p>“How you doing, cupcake?” Jack whispered with earnest as one of the tentacles caressed down his face. Rhys licked his lips, trying to form words to express what he was feeling, but all that came out was—</p><p>“Don’t…don’t stop….”</p><p>---</p><p>Jack didn't mean to accidentally propose to a alien prince, but he's going to make the most out of his time with Rhys as humanly possible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Over on my Tumblr I've been talking a lot about an AU where Rhys is an alien prince, of a race related to Eridians (my idea is that they stem from a time when Eridian's mated with humans, so they're more humanoid in appearance) and Jack misunderstands their culture and accidentally ends up proposing an being sealed into marriage with Rhys. But Jack's not one to turn up his nose at exploring his new fiance's interesting anatomy.

The idea of sexuality and mating was familiar to Rhys in theory—as a member of the royal family, he was well read and intimate with the history and culture of his people—and yet tremendously foreign in practice

Rhys was the  _prince_ , and his body had been kept like a glass prize by his parents until Jack’s proposal—thus he hadn’t ever really had the leeway to go about and experiment with other species, or even other Eridians. But ever since Jack had been sealed within the contract of marriage, he seemed to want to make the best out of his situation—which included exploring the prince’s body in ways that the alien found both curious and satisfying. 

Jack had come to Rhys’ bedchamber tonight, the prince clad in only his airy nighttime vestments, which the human had quickly let fall to the floor. Rhys had wasted no time in wrapping his lanky form around the human, his tail curling around Jack’s thigh as he human backed him towards the bed. The spots on Rhys’ chest and back had glowed bright periwinkle with lust, twinkling like the stars outside the window of the chamber. Rhys wanted badly to mate with the human once again, but Jack had had something else in mind. He had carefully bound Rhys’ hands above his head with a delicate piece of fabric decorating the prince’s headboard, something that had initially made Rhys spike up in alarm, but Jack had pressed a steady finger to his lip and shushed him with a smile, before settling himself between the prince’s bare legs. Rhys had tested the bonds, deciding that he could easily break out of them if Jack tried anything untoward. 

He now watched with curious eyes as Jack laid out on the bed in such a way that his head was between the prince’s thighs, cheek resting against the soft, faint purple skin with a smirk after positioning Rhys’ calves on his shoulders. His forearms wrapped around the alien’s upper thigh, his hips settled flat on Rhys’ hips, holding him firmly against the bed. The alien cocked his head, eyes narrowing slightly in trepidation, his tail swishing softly against the bedsheets. Jack locked eyes with the Eridian for a brief moment as he leaned it before his eyelids fluttered shut, tongue darting from between his parted lips to press against the damp slit in the skin of Rhys’ crotch.

The Eridian’s entire body went rigid, his tail thumping against the bed, hands fisting in their bonds at the unexpected sensation. His back arched off of the bed as Jack rubbed his tongue over Rhys’ slit, small nosies gasping from between his teeth as he felt his entrance loosen up, felt fluid begin to leak over Jack’s tongue. The appreciative hum that came from the human made Rhys shiver, the moist warmth of his breath and the vibrations of his voice drumming directly into the alien’s sensitive flesh. 

When Jack dipped his tongue inside of the prince’s cloaca, Rhys let out a loud, proper moan, his clawed toes curling against Jack’s lower back. It was warm, supple pressure inside of him, flexing against his insides as it sought to push deeper. The Eridian squirmed, breathless as he felt himself open up proper, his reproductive anatomy shifting slightly with the penetration of Jack’s tongue, body fooled into preparing Rhys to be bred. Embarrassment crossed the pleasure fogging Rhys’ mind as he felt movement stir inside of him—the slimy, curious tentacles inside of his cloaca worming forth as the opening widened from a mere slit in his crotch to a wet hole surrounding by folds of purple skin and tentacles. 

“Well well well. Hello there.” Jack chuckled as he drew back, the little tentacles following him, curiously prodding at his nose and lips. The human smirked, giving them a cheeky kiss as he looked up at the prince. Rhys was panting, a deep purple blush spread all over his face, the spots on his chest and shoulders shining brightly with the alien’s arousal. 

“How you doing, cupcake?” Jack whispered with earnest as one of the tentacles caressed down his face. Rhys licked his lips, trying to form words to express what he was feeling, but all that came out was—

“Don’t…don’t stop….”

Thankfully, stopping was the furthest thing from Jack’s mind. With a greedy smile, he delved back into Rhys’ hole, lips pressed against the sensitive opening as his tongue again worked inside of the prince. Rhys let out a high pitched hiss as Jack rubbed against all the most sensitive flesh of his insides, the warm wet tongue undulating against him in a way that didn’t compare to anything else that Rhys had felt before. 

The little tentacles rimming Rhys’ cloaca clung to Jack’s face, burrowing into his hair and wrapping lazily about his ears, holding him close and buried into the Eridian’s crotch, desperate to keep that hot, skilled mouth as close to Rhys’ genitals as possible. They idly pet at the taunt skin of the man’s cheekbones, over the rough patch of his scar, leaving little trails of purple slick in their wake. 

Rhys came twice before Jack was able to pull away, the little tentacles gradually releasing their grip as orgasm robbed the Eridian of his constitution. The gauzy bindings around Rhys’ wrists had long snapped in the throes of the Eridian’s pleasure, hanging uselessly against his forearms. The alien whined as he felt Jack pull away, that clever tongue retreating from his quivering opening, slick leaking from the loosened hole. Fortunately, Rhys didn’t have to wait for long to be filled again, as Jack sat up on his knees, hoisting Rhys’ legs around his hips and pressing the head of his erect cock against the Eridian’s wet, loosened entrance. He bent over to kiss Rhys, the prince mewling softly at the taste of his own slick against Jack’s lips, his quiet cry turning loud as the human sunk into him, stretching his opening and penetrating deep inside of him. 

Jack’s brazen, bloody personality belied the intimate, sensual manner with which he treated Rhys in these private moments—reverent of the prince’s status and ancient lineage, or perhaps just reverent of Rhys, of his own beauty and power—as he braced himself above the lanky prince, one hand steadying Rhys’ hip while the other laced with his long, clawed fingers. 

Jack’s thrusts were slow and fluid, like the roiling coils of galaxies, power curled in the cut of his hips as he pleasures the prince. With the hand not held in Jack’s Rhys palms the back of the human’s neck, bringing him in for a passionate kiss warring between Jack’s stormy mouth and the sharp prick of Rhys’ teeth. 

Rhys feels like he’s bleeding when Jack comes inside of him, sudden warmth washing his insides and filling his belly but it doesn’t hurt, it feels _right_  to have Jack’s seed in him, mingling with the purpled slick of his own release. Jack’s face is pressed into his long neck, his teeth digging into soft indigo skin, and that  _does_  hurt but Rhys doesn’t care because the hot of Jack’s breath and saliva against the fresh wounds is just as soothing as the cum warm in his belly. 

Rhys knows he looks absolutely debauched, nothing like the regal and elegant prince he’s meant to be, but it barely matters when Jack tends to him—kissing the teeth marks in his neck, cleaning his long legs of cum and slick, softly tucking him into the gauzy sheets with a kiss on the cheek. And  _nothing_  else matters once Jack is pressed against the prince’s back, spooning him despite the difference in height, with his nose breath soft against Rhys’ hair and a hand braced possessively against his belly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well we saw Jack eating Rhys out. How about Rhys going down on Jack? :p

It takes the prince eating a long, skewered eel (at least, Jack thinks it’s an eel, it’s long and slimy and bright purple and apparently an Eridian delicacy) in one bite for the CEO to realize that Rhys’ species doesn’t have a gag reflex. He  _then_  realizes that, even though he’s eaten out Rhys dozens of times at this point, the alien has never gone down on  _him._

A determination to fix that glitters in his eyes and dances in his smiles as he excuses the two of them quickly from lunch with some of Rhys’ extended family, the alien’s sullen pouts that that was  _rude, Jack_ smothered when the human drags him up to the prince’s bedchamber and pulls the alien up against him, sandwiching himself between Rhys and the wall. He peppers kisses against Rhys’ long throat before applying a slight pressure to his shoulders. Rhys puts up a little bit of resistance first, pulling back from Jack’s lips to send the human a quizzical expression, but trustingly he kneels before Jack as the human moves his hands up to Rhys’ hair, fingers running through the thick, slightly tyrian locks. 

“So, star shine,” Jack purrs softly, loving the way that Rhys looks up at him with wide eyes, lips slightly parted around the tips of his fangs, “you remember that thing I do with my mouth, yeah? That thing that you  _really_  like?”

“Yes?” Rhys settles his hands on Jack’s hips, inching closer to the human with a curious look. 

“Well…I was thinking, it might be nice to try it the other way around, huh? If you get what I’m saying?” The human raises his eyebrow, fingers winding in the hair at the back of Rhys’ head and tightening. Rhys licks his lips with his long tongue as Jack pulls him closer to his crotch by his horns, the alien’s fingers falling to his waistband, tugging at the buckle of his belt. 

“Will it feel as good for you as it does for me?” Rhys questions, carefully unbuckling Jack’s belt, his thin fingers quickly doing away with the man’s fly and zipper. Jack grins slyly down at Rhys’, rubbing his fingers down the back of the alien’s thin neck. Rhys visibly shivers at the touch as he tugs down Jack’s pants, immediately coming face to face with the man’s half-hard dick. Rhys blinks at it for a moment, cocking his head before glancing up at Jack, eyes asking for direction. 

“Don’t give me that look, star shine, you two have been  _more_  than acquainted before.” Jack chuckles teasingly, urging Rhys’ head forward, until the prince’s lips bump against the head of his cock. Rhys wrinkles his nose, drawing back slightly with a petulant whine. 

“I use my mouth on that?” Rhys’ sticks out his tongue, shaking his head. “It tastes  _weird_.”

“It tastes like  _me_ , sugar. And don’t forget that its been inside you. It’s not that weird.” 

“Still…”

“Kitten, I stuck my  _entire face_  into that tentacle nest you got packing down there.” Rhys sticks out his lower lip, blush crowding his cheeks. 

“Yeah, but  _you_  liked it too.”

“And I promise you’ll like this once you get the hang of it. You’ve liked everything we’ve tried so far, haven’t you? And if you don’t just smack me with that tail of yours, and I’ll stop. Sounds good?” Jack offers, his hands returning to pet the alien prince’s head. Rhys bites his lip for a moment in consideration, before leaning in and giving the head of Jack’s cock a tentative lick. 

“Oh yeah, baby,  _thaaaaat’s_  it.” Jack lets out a low purr, fingers twisting into the locks of Rhys’ hair. Rhys licks his lips slightly, smacking them as if to test the taste, before leaning in again and pressing the flat of his tongue against the head of Jack’s dick, following with his lips. 

“Open your mouth a little wider, sweetheart.” Jack croons, slowly but firmly urging Rhys’ face closer to his groin, sliding his cock a little further into Rhys’ mouth. The alien fusses a little bit, lips working awkwardly around the length Jack’s pushing into his mouth. Jack tips his head back, closing his eyes as the alien’s warm mouth closes around his cock. Rhys is shy, and abortive in his movements, but with Jack’s hand’s guiding him from their position against his head, he’s slowly finding an—albeit uneven—rhythm. 

The alien’s tail undulates softly against the carpet, eventually curling forward to wind around Jack’s ankle, holding the man in place as Rhys carefully works the cock in his mouth, mostly letting Jack fuck it how he pleased, with the alien occasionally hollowing his cheeks and pressing his tongue against the underside of Jack’s erection. Jack felt his back slide down slightly against the wall, his feet slipping against the silky carpet as he pushes himself further into Rhys mouth, soon brushing the back of the prince’s throat. 

“Deep breaths now, babe, all right? Through your nose.” Jack whispers hoarsely as Rhys obeys, breaths whistling softly as he relaxes his throat. 

Jack holds his breath as he thrusts forward those last couple inches, feeling the head of his cock slip into Rhys’ throat, but the prince doesn’t gag or choke on him. He does, however, let out a low, long moan, his eyes actually  _rolling_  in their sockets as Jack thrusts up against his throat. 

“O-oh ho, you got another little sweet spot there, don’t you star shine?” Jack groans appreciatively, thrusting slowly against Rhys’ tight throat and filing the little discovery away for future reference—because the way that Rhys’ eyelids flutter, the way his legs part and slide against the floor like they were made of jelly every time Jack thrusts against the spot in the back of his throat is just too delicious to not ensure a repeat of.  

Rhys’ fingers clutches into Jack’s bare hips, leaving long, pink claw marks against the man’s flesh. He clumsily bobs his mouth against Jack’s thrusts, drool pooling past his lips, staining his chin with translucent purple saliva. Jack enjoys the sight thoroughly through the haze of his arousal—Rhys on his knees before him, cock in his mouth, drooling messily all over himself, his legs parted. Not to mention the very obvious spot of wetness on the front of the prince’s gauzy pants. Wordlessly, Jack slides his foot in between Rhys’ legs, pressing the toe of his shoe up to rub against the underside of Rhys’ groan. The prince lets out a harsh exhale through his nose, moaning muffled around the mouthful of cock. He shifts his hips down, rutting against Jack’s shoe as he bobs his head around the CEO’s dick, body on fire and writhing as he’s stimulated from throat and groin at the same time. 

Jack doesn’t last much longer, not with the spasming throat around his cock and the vibrations of the prince’s moans humming up into his groin. He comes with a harsh thrust down Rhys’ throat, release emptying out into the prince’s belly. He presses his foot up mercilessly against the Eridian’s crotch as Rhys sucks down his cum with a desperate, stifled cry, feeling the alien’s own slick release soaking through his pants and into the toe of his shoe. 

Jack pants in the afterglow, fingers working absently through Rhys hair as he tilts his head back against the wall. He feels Rhys’ tail relax from around his ankle, falling with a heavy  _thwump_ against the carpet. Pleased warmth curls up in Jack’s stomach, a breathless sigh escaping his lips. 

“Oh man, Rhys, I—“ Jack tilts his head forward, only to stop at the sight at his feet. 

Rhys is still kneeling on the ground, trying to hold Jack’s softened cock in his mouth, eyes wide and gazing up to Jack with a questioning expression. Their eyes lock for a moment, before he realizes that Rhys doesn’t understand that Jack was through with him. 

“Jeez, princess, you’re just too precious, aren’t you?” Jack chuckles softly, one hand holding the base of his limp cock and carefully pulling it out of Rhys’ mouth, maybe accidentally-on-purpose dribbling his cum down the prince’s chin, watching it mingle with the alien’s purple saliva. And  _ooh_ , the little gasp that comes from the Rhys’ throat when Jack’s cock pops away from his mouth nearly makes the human hard again.  

Jack slides the rest of the way down the wall until he’s sitting on the carpet, legs splayed, cock still out of his pants and covered in Rhys’ saliva. He opens his arms to the alien, a sated grin on his face as Rhys cuddles up against him. Jack brushes his fingers against Rhys’ lips, catching the cum and saliva and pressing them back into the alien’s mouth. Rhys’ teeth prick lightly against his finger as he dutifully sucks against them, pulling back with a  _pop_  and resting his head against Jack’s chest. 

“Pumpkin,” Jack shakes his head with a chuckle, gazing down at the sated Eridian against him, “I gotta tell you that was the sloppiest, clumsiest blowjob I’ve  _ever_ gotten.” Rhys face nearly falls with a frown, the alien whipping his tail testily against the carpet before Jack pets his spine with a calm hand. 

“But it was also the sexiest one I’ve ever had, so don’t worry your pretty little head too much.”  The frown is quickly replaced with a smile, as pleased purrs radiate from the Eridian’s chest as he rests against his mate. 

“Can….can I do that to you, while you do the other thing to me? Is that possible?” Rhys broaches carefully after a moment, looking up at Jack with hopeful eyes. And oh,  _ohhh_  is Jack glad that he’d decided to tug Rhys up here to test out that cute little throat of his. 

“Oh,  _hell_  yeah, sweetheart,” Jack waggles his eyebrows brazenly at the prince, “think you can cancel dinner with your parents? I think I’ll have eaten enough wiggly, slimy things before we’re done here.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some more sin! There will be some semblance of a plot starting eventually, but I don't want to totally scare people away with that, so....
> 
> In this one, Jack finds Rhys fooling around with one of his "toys."

At this point, Jack considered himself beyond asking if he could come over to Rhys’ chambers, or even knocking on the door or otherwise announcing his arrival. Just like he did almost every day, he waltzed past Rhys’ guard with a wave and a grunt, pushing through the door and entering into the bedchamber. 

Rhys wasn’t in his parlor, messing with the holographic display that projected from the smooth metal central table. It didn’t surprise Jack that much—lately, Rhys was spending a lot of time out on his expansive balcony, tending to the little plants there that flourished in the shimmery Eridian sunlight. But as soon as Jack crossed the parlor, his ears were graced with the soft, muffled, unmistakably Rhys-y noises coming from the direction of the bedroom. Jack stopped in his tracks for just a moment, tuning into the little gasps and the dull but insistent undercurrent  _bzzzzz._  Curious, he moved towards the bedroom door, the noise getting louder and louder as he gripped the handle.  

As Jack’s visits to the prince’s room had become more and more frequent with their lengthening engagement, he’d started to move a couple of his things into Rhys’ bedchamber for ease of access, or sometimes just because he forgot and left things lying around. It was mostly out of convenience or accident. 

But  _maybe_  Jack had had ulterior motives in planting his uh…. _leisure_  bag underneath the prince’s bed. One thing Jack had learned about Rhys in the time they had been together was that the alien had an absolutely insatiable curiosity and interest in all the human customs and devices that Jack had with him, even if they paled in complexity next to Eridian technology. It was  _different,_  and Rhys was fascinated by different and new and compelling. So all right, maybe Jack had left a couple of things behind, so that when they met again, Rhys would have some adorably naive questions that could segue into something right up Jack’s alley. 

And considering that Jack had had to guide the prince into giving him a blowjob, he couldn’t be faulted to believe that Rhys wouldn’t go and explore the contents of the bag himself. But as soon as Jack opened the ornate door and brushed away the gauzy curtains separating Rhys’ room from the rest of the chamber, he discovered just exactly how wrong he had been. 

Rhys was lying on his bed, clad in pretty light blue and cold bedclothes that had been pulled up over his hips and stomach, showing off the pale, milky purple of his skin. Jack was briefly distracted by the light dusting of glowing freckles on the prince’s hipbones and a trail leading down to his crotch, but as soon as his eyes fell between the prince’s spread legs he couldn’t pay attention to anything else. 

The prince’s long fingers were pawing uselessly around his groin, the tentacles there wrapping around his hands as they writhed and leaked over Rhys’ skin. The sheets beneath the prince were soaking in his translucent purple slick, the fabric draw taut and crumpling with the wild movements of the prince’s tail as it swished over the bed. The buzzing nose underscoring Rhys’ desperate moans and yowls was child’s play to track down, and Jack’s mouth watered at the sight. 

Wedged into the prince’s hole was the sparkly, golden base that Jack knew belonged to the biggest, thickest vibrator that Jack had brought with him. 

The CEO stood still for a moment, frozen in the door way with his hands on his hips—observing the alien with a look like he was witnessing some kind of strange, natural phenomenon. 

Wow. Jack was  _impressed_. And…terribly turned on from the sight alone. Rhys had bypassed all the smaller and slimmer toys that Jack had brought, just in case he’d met a cute, kinky broad or gotten lonely on those long shuttle rides. But this was a better use for it than he’d ever imagined. 

His boots clipped against the floor of the chamber, carefully approaching Rhys’ bed like it was the site of some kind of entrancing ritual. The sweet, natural scent of Rhys’ slick filled his nose, his cock quickly responding to the familiar smell and twitching to attention. He watched hungrily at the way Rhys clawed at the fat vibrator inside of him, so clumsy in his movements that Jack wasn’t sure whether he was trying to pull it out or push it further inside. As Jack drew close to the bed, he wondered how long Rhys had been like this. 

“You sure you’re flesh and bone, star shine? That you aren’t made of friggin’ elastic? Because  _hoooooly_  shit.” Jack murmured as he kneeled at the foot of the bed between the alien’s long legs. Rhys let out a surprised moan and weakly lifted his head, as if noticing Jack in the room for the first time. And god, the sight of the alien’s face was almost as good as that of his pussy stretched and leaking around the vibrator. Rhys’ cheeks were flushed deep purple, his hair a mess. His tongue hung out of his mouth, lips clearly bitten by his fangs. The freckles on his neck and shoulders were glowing brighter than Jack had ever seen them, a speckled beacon of Rhys’ arousal. 

“J- _Jaaaaaaack_ ….” The prince whined as Jack crawled between his legs, urging his hands away from his crotch. His fingers found a new home skating up Jack’s neck before clenching into the human’s hair, sticky claws tangling into the loose waves. Jack leaned in, gently kissing the Eridian’s cheek before pressing their foreheads together. Seeing Rhys’ face absolutely wrecked like this made Jack’s cock swell in his pants, straining against his zipper. 

“What’d you do to yourself, sweetheart?” 

“I….I found….I found it and I thought…I wanted….” Rhys struggled to get words out between his pants, tears of arousal prickling at his eyes. His entire body was trembling with the force of the vibrations—Rhys had clearly turned the settings all the way up, whether he had meant to or not.

“It’s too much….too much….” The alien whimpered, tears breaking and streaming down his cheeks, overwhelmed with the vibrations coursing through his body. His tail came to wind up Jack’s calf, grabbing it so tightly that Jack wondered if his leg would just pop off.   

“Shhh….shh, star shine, I’ve got you, I’ve got you…” Jack purred low as he eased his hand between the Eridian’s legs, fingers quickly finding the base of the vibrator. Oh yeah, Rhys had definitely set the thing on full blast. Jack didn’t really want to end the fun so soon, not with his cock still raging in the confines of his pants, but he might as well take a little bit of mercy on the poor prince. He switched it down a couple of settings, feeling Rhys relax with a whimper, his body still hot and needy. Jack chuckled softly to himself, one palm cradling the side of the prince’s head as his fingers gripped the base of the toy.  

“I appreciate your enterprising spirit, kitten, really. Hyperion really loves you go-getting types. But you should probably ask before you go…playing around with daddy’s toys.” Jack hummed as he carefully eased the toy out of the Rhys’ hole, and despite the alien’s distress, it seemed reluctant to let it go—Rhys clenching tight around it as his tentacles wrapped around Jack’s hand and tugged. Rhys’ face contorted and he bit his lip, struggling to keep his eyes open as Jack tipped his face closer. 

“At least wait, so he can show you how it’s done.”

Jack thrust the vibrator back inside of Rhys, the alien’s eyes screwing shut as he wailed, claws digging hard into Jack’s scalp. Rhys legs kicked up off the bed, his tail uncoiling from Jack’s calf and flailing about. Jack arched his body with Rhys wild movements, staying close to the needy Eridian as Rhys screeched and yowled. Jack rocked the vibrator in and out of him, Rhys’ hole squeezing around it as his tentacles wrapped tight around Jack’s wrist, disabling him from pulling the dildo out too far. His fingers were so slicked up with Rhys’ juices that it was hard to keep a firm grip, but the noises and faces the prince was making were too good, and Jack didn’t want to stop. He did, however, move his hand from Rhys’ face, the Eridian flopping back and writhing against the bed as Jack fumbled with his zipper, nearly catching the skin of his dick in the teeth. He cursed softly as he pulled out his cock, hard and leaking, pausing for a moment as he tried to figure out what the hell to do with it. He eyed Rhys’ overstuffed hole, tender and wet around the faintly vibrating toy, guiding his thick head towards it. 

The needy scream that tore from Rhys’ throat as Jack nudged his cockhead inside struck Jack like a bullet, adrenaline and maybe the slightest hint of fear tugging at him as the alien clawed harder into his scalp. Rhys sobbed breathlessly in pleasure, tiny animal noises whimpering from his throat as Jack sunk into the alien’s snug pussy. He felt just how much Rhys’ walls were stretching around the combined girth of the cock and the toy, feeling so intimately just the way the alien pulsed and tightened around him. He could barely move thrust with how firmly Rhys clung around him, his tentacles slapping against his lower belly and wrapping around his balls. Jack moaned, his eyes nearly rolling at the viselike grip around his cock, the vibrations of the toy rubbing up against his shaft. He rolled his hips as best as he could, rutting dumbly inside of his mate. Rhys was yowling like some wild beast, like something Jack had dragged out of the jungle to tame and fuck rather than a poised an elegant prince. He nearly bit Jack when the human leaned in for a kiss, losing what little control he still had as he fervently rocked back against Jack, his puffy, overfull hole finally spasming one last time as he came, drenching Jack’s cock and the sheets below him in a rush of sweet fluid. A breathless groan oozed from Jack’s throat as Rhys seized unimaginably tight around him, his eyebrows crunching together as he came inside of the Eridian, his balls tightening under the grip of Rhys’ tentacles as he filled the prince up with his release. 

Jack didn’t know how long it took Rhys to find his voice again. He lost all track of time as soon as he collapsed beside his mate, the tentacles slowly retreating from his groan and sucking back up inside of the prince’s body. Little, hitching sobs came from Rhys even when Jack had turned off the toy and flung the slickened thing off of the bed. Even with his brain buzzing and arms feeling like jelly, Jack tried to comfort Rhys, stroking down the Eridian’s chest. Rhys nuzzled him like a needy animal, eyes wet and bared in their vulnerability, mind coming back to him slowly from the haze of pleasure. It was strange, having the long and lanky Eridian curled up into him like a child, but Jack didn’t mind. He kissed Rhys’ forehead and let the prince rest against his shoulder.

“Jack…” Rhys’ voice was hoarse and tired, but as he looked up at Jack, there was a dazed and happy smile on his face.

“I love you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some plot, what? Don't worry, there's still plenty of smut to be had. <3 Note the updated tags though. 
> 
> Something's going on with Rhysie, and Jack is about to have his hands full....

Rhys wasn’t in his bedchamber. 

Jack had stood outside his door for a good twenty minutes now, periodically rapping on the polished surface to no avail. It was still pretty early, and even in his short time of knowing the prince, Jack knew he almost never balked at the chance to sleep in. 

Maybe that was it, maybe Rhys was just in a deep sleep, and couldn’t hear Jack’s knocks. That was fine, yeah _no problem_. He’d given Rhys an ECHO device a few days ago, just to have a line directly to him in case they were ever separated. He tapped Rhys’ contact information, but the bloom of hope was dashed when he heard the notification of the ECHO inside of Rhys’ room go off through the muffled door, continuing without being picked up. He growled, beginning to pace in front of Rhys’ bedchamber, before finally giving up with a frustrated huff, ready to stalk through the halls of the Eridian palace until he found his lover. Surely _someone_ had to know where the frickin’ royal prince was?

Thankfully, Jack didn’t have to search long, nearly running into Rhys’ short Eridian friend as he hopped off the bottom of the staircase. Jack’s lip curled in an indignant snarl for a moment, before he realized who it was. 

“Hey, muscles—“ Jack clapped both hands on the small Eridian’s shoulder, ignoring the look of disgust that crossed the alien’s face, “—you seen Rhys around anywhere?”

“Okay, first off, my name is _Vaughn_ , Rhys told you that,” The small Eridian frowned, shrugging Jack’s hands off his shoulders, “secondly….well…Rhys is…” Vaughn’s expression shifted slightly from one of frustration, to one tinged with worry. “Well, he’s..he’s down in the infirmary…”

Jack didn’t even bother asking the Eridian where the hell the infirmary was, brusquely shoving past Vaughn and racing off with fear of a badly injured or deathly ill Rhys spurring him on.

* * *

After being turned around in the twisting hallways of the Eridian palace more than once, and finally giving in to ask for directions, Jack burst into the infirmary, startling the aliens working there as he started shouting for Rhys. A stern Eridian nurse pressed a long finger to her lips and had the nerve to _shush_ him, and if she wasn’t a head taller than him, and if he hadn’t heard his mate call him name from further into the room, Jack would have tried to take her on. Instead, he called for Rhys, explaining who he was and why he was here and finally getting clearance to cross the threshold from the foyer and into the medical ward proper.

It wasn’t like any infirmary Jack had been too, the area dominated by only a couple of beds. On the largest and most comfortable looking, sat Rhys, supported on all sides by soft pillows. He was conversing lightly with a rosy Eridian nurse, hands settled and fingers fanned out over his middle. Rhys looked far too chipper and lively to be holed up in the infirmary like this. 

“Jack!” Rhys chirped at him, his tail swishing happily over the silky pillows as he sat up to face the approaching human with a smile. 

“Hey Rhysie. What’re you in for, sweetheart?” Jack carefully took Rhys’ clawed hand, glaring suspiciously at the nurses, who wisely backed away from him and the prince, though they kept a watchful eye. 

Rhys _blushed_ , which was strange, a shy look growing over his face as he played with Jack’s fingers, running his long claw over the digits. 

“Jack….Jack, I have some _amazing_ news!” Rhys excitedly fidgeted in his seat, his tail lapping against the pillows as he smiled with all of his teeth.

“Oh yeah?” Jack chuckled, sitting on the bed next to the Eridian. “Lay it on me, star shine. What’s the fuss about?” Jack couldn’t help the little smile that came over his face at the way the prince was squirming happily like a kid on Christmas. Jeez, the prince’s mood was infectious. 

“Well…” Rhys started, flicking his tongue out from between his lips, his other hand going to rest on Jack’s shoulder, “I was feeling a little odd lately, and this morning I went to the infirmary and….they told me I’m bearing a clutch!”

The small smile froze on Jack’s lips as he blinked stupidly at the beaming Eridian. Out of all the things he had expected Rhys to tell him, he hadn’t expected… _that_. 

“A…a clutch?” Jack chuffed, trying to keep his cool. “So like. Of eggs?”

At first he didn’t understand why Rhys was telling him this. His brows furrowed at the alien’s midsection, before his eyes widened in realization. 

_“Oh._ ”

“Right? Isn’t it exciting? First I’ve been blessed with marriage, and now with heirs…it’s been years since a member of the royal family has carried a clutch!”

Jack didn’t know how to respond, just staring at the alien’s middle as it started to sink in what exactly was happening—and what his _role_ in it was. He pressed his other hand to his mouth for a moment, tapping his fingers on his jaw. 

“I…um…okay, star shine, how did that…how do you end up with uh…a ‘clutch’? This one of those things that just kind of like, happen with your kind and all or…” Jack tried to gather his thoughts together, despite the fact that he felt like he already knew the answer, especially when Rhys’ cheeks colored darker with happy blush.

‘Well I mean…Jack _,_ you didn’t forget about everything we’ve been…doing, right?” Rhys fidgeted a little, smoothing his clawed hand down his middle. Jack could feel something unpleasant starting to curl in his stomach, and as much as he tried to push it down, it still came boiling back up.

“So…they’re um…. _mine_?” Jack’s voice wavered, eyes falling to Rhys’ belly, his mouth slightly hung open. Rhys watched him with a raised eyebrow, his excited smile slowly fading into concern. 

“Jack, what’s the matter? Is this not what you….do you not want this?” Rhys’ face fell, his hands sliding down Jack’s shoulder to his forearm. 

“Cupcake, it’s not a matter of _wanting_ it, but…this is a _lot_ to take in, you know? I mean come on, throw me a bone here…” Jack let out a nervous laugh, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. 

“I….I’m sorry….” Rhys voice softened to a whisper, his face crumbling slowly. “I didn’t…I thought…everyone else was so happy for me, I thought that you’d be too…”

“I _am_ happy for you, sweetie, I guess, I mean…it’s a big deal for your species, yeah? But I just…”

“You’re not happy here.” A deep frown had overtaken Rhys’ face, but it was the slight sparkle of wetness in the corner of the Eridian’s eyes that _really_ made Jack’s heart clench. The prince’s clawed hand fell away completely from Jack’s arm as Rhys inched away, a strange upset look on the alien’s face as his hands cupped his stomach. His eyes dropped to the slightly swollen flesh as he abruptly stood up, tail lashing against Jack’s hand when the human tried to reach out to him, to get him to sit back down. 

“Kitten—“

“Don’t…don’t, I….” Rhys’ breath was short, sparkling tears rising up in his eyes, not able to look at Jack, not wanting to be touched. 

“I should have known,” Rhys hiccuped, rubbing at his eyes, “you’re only marrying me because you made a _mistake_ after all…”

Thankfully, the human’s hand were stayed, still stinging from the sharp slap of the prince’s tail. Rhys felt sick, his head spinning as he fled the medical bay, already broken down in sobs by the time he reached his bedchamber, shoving past his guards and locking himself inside so no one could disturb him as he threw himself onto the bed, hissing wails into his downy pillows. He bit into the fabric as he screamed, fear and guilty coursing through him. Of _course_ Jack didn’t really want him, didn’t want to raise a clutch with him. He’d only _accidentally_ proposed to Rhys after all, been caught in the seal of a marriage he didn’t even want.

The prince hiccuped and sobbed, curled up in his bed as he tried to push all thoughts about Jack and the clutch away from his mind, but it didn’t work. Not with the memory of Jack’s warm broad hands in his, not with the undeniable weight in his belly. He wanted nothing more to sleep and yet he was kept away by the pain brewing in his chest, leaving him with nothing but a lonely room filled with the muffled sounds of his cries. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully everyone who was upset at the past chapter will be happy with this!

Rhys didn't see Jack for the rest of the day, or the day after, even when the teary alien ventured out from his room to get some fresh air and check in with his nurses. Not that he minded, he didn't really want to see Jack, anyway, those unwanted feelings still brimming up inside of him. 

The prince tried to go about his daily life and royal duties, the gods seeming to smile on him when he didn't accidentally run into Jack through the course of going about the palace. At first, he welcomed this reprieve from the human, the rejection still fresh in his mind, but as the hours went on, he found himself longing again for Jack's presence. Eventually, after he had finished his checkup with the royal nurses, Rhys set off for Jack's quarters, biting his lip before knocking softly on the door.

"Jack?"

There was no reply. Even when Rhys banged on the door out of frustration, no one came. Eventually, the prince grew so angered that he wrenched the metal doorknob free with his tail and stormed in sight--where he was greeted by a horrifying sight. 

Jack's room had been torn to shreds--the wooden headboard nearly split in two, the small side table upended and shattered against the floor, and plenty of burn and horrifying blood marks against the walls. Rhys gasped, eyes widening as he pressed his hand against his mouth, eyes welling up in tears. He slowly stepped over the wreckage, terror building in him as he searched for any sign of Jack, but the human was nowhere to be found. But he did find one thing, bloody and torn and dangling from one of the shattered shards of the side table. 

A disgustingly familiar patch of scale that made the prince clench his teeth and let out a furious  _hiss_. 

* * *

 Nobody was coming for him. Jack had realized that a few days into his capture–and why would they anyway. Sure, he had been engaged to the crown prince, but he’d pissed Rhys off royally right before he’d been kidnapped by these _other_  alien assholes. He’d had awhile to stew in his guilt over offending the prince, and instantly wished that he could take it all back–not only because it would have increased the likelihood of him being saved from death, but also because he genuinely felt _bad_  for hurting Rhys. For rejecting him–yeah, the whole egg thing was still weird, but he’d behaved like a royal ( _heh_ ) jackass. 

Whatever. It was too late now. Any apologies he wanted to say would never reach Rhys’ ears. The doors to his cell slid open, the alien guards who would carry about his execution stepping inside. Jack swallowed, anger and fear rising in his gut. _Damn it_. He was Handsome-god _damn_ -Jack, and he was about to be shot like a sick skag and left to rot on some stupid alien planet. It wasn’t _fair._

Jack stared his captors in the eyes, a snarl on his lips as he refused to bow to them until one of the aliens grabbed a thick clump of his hair and slammed his face down into the grimy floor of the cell, the barrel of the guard’s gun pressing into the back of his head–and despite his bravado, Jack closed his eyes and prayed for a second as brief as the small whimper that came from his lips. 

He was shocked to hear the sound of a gunshot, shocked to feel the explosion of fluids against the back of his head without the expected pain and oblivion. Suddenly, the cell was alive with noise, screams and clicks from the other guard, the pounding of feet, and a familiar, grating hiss. Another gunshot soon followed, echoed by the loud _thump_  of a body next to Jack. The human squirmed, trying to shift against his bonds and turn over to see what was going on, when he was suddenly pulled over onto his back.   
  
“Oh– _ow_ , watch it!” Jack growled without thinking, his bruised ribs protested at the sudden rough treatment. To his surprise, the hands lifted for a moment, before returning to his face–soft and satin-y, and oh so familiar. 

“Jack…” The CEO’s eyes widened at the familiar voice, his vision finally stabilizing to focus on the face above him. Smooth, slightly purple skin, faintly radiant in the dark of his cell. One obsidian black eye, the other with a glowing purple iris. 

“Rhys?” Jack managed, shocked to see the Eridian prince himself kneeling over him, touching him with care and concern. Even when Jack had considered the option that Rhys would come for him, he would have thought the prince would send an entourage, rather than coming in person. Before Jack could think anymore, though, Rhys was surging forward, lifting Jack up in his arms and enveloping him in a tight hug. The CEO let out a low moan at the sudden jostling of his bruised body, Rhys lightening his touch slightly, but still holding Jack close in his long arms.   
  
“Jack, I….I was so worried…I thought I’d lost you…” Rhys breathed heavily, the lanky Eridian running his clawed hands over Jack’s back, confirming his existence over and over again. 

“I…what, really?” Jack spoke, perhaps a little callously by the way Rhys hugged him tighter and buried his face into the man’s shoulder. “Sorry….I just thought…I dunno, after the whole..being a huge jackass over the… _egg thing_ …” He could feel the slight paunch of Rhys’ stomach against his own as the prince hugged him, reminding him of the reason _why_  he’d thought Rhys had left him to die. 

“You _were,_ ” Jack could feel the Eridian’s toothy pout against his neck, “and I was so upset, so _angry_  with you. At one point I wondered if I had to _kill_  you to make myself feel better.”

“You don’t say.  _Sooo_ , why the whole rescue party?” 

“ _Because_ ,” Rhys lifted his head from Jack’s shoulder, gaze intense as he met Jack’s eyes, “maybe you accidentally proposed to me. But it was no accident that I….accepted.” A light purple blush flowered on the alien’s blood-flecked cheeks. 

“No kidding…” Jack sighed, gritting his teeth against the soreness in his body as he reached up and carefully cupped the alien’s face. God, he’d missed the prince’s soft skin, the way Rhys melted into his touch, deep instinct driving the alien to relax in the presence of the one he’d designated as his…. _mate_. 

The kiss Jack gave the prince was gentle, but lingered with the promises of all that Jack _would_  give him once he was recovered, once they were back on Rhys’ home planet. Rhys breath was quick as Jack pulled away, leaning their foreheads together. 

“Sorry for freakin’ out back there, sweetheart.” Jack murmured, his hand sliding down to rest against the slight roundness of the Eridian’s belly. “Gotta say…the whole egg thing is still a bit weird but….hey, why don’t we just chalk the whole thing up to a ‘happy accident,’ ‘kay?”

Jack found himself being kissed fairly thoroughly as soon as the words left his mouth, Rhys’ fangs nearly nipping on his lower lip as he pulled back. The human chuckled breathlessly, pleased even thought the lack of air was making his sore chest start to hurt even more.  
  
“Easy, starshine, don’t break me in half right when you’ve got me back,” Jack wheezed softly as Rhys apologized, and carefully helped the injured human to into a crouching position. Jack swayed a little into the tall Eridian, but Rhys held him steady, holding Jack in place until the man was ready to stand up fully. 

Jack’s eyes fell on the bodies next to him, starting slightly as he realized that there was a puddle of bright purple goop and several glowing, crystalline needles buried in the ground where the guards’ heads should be. 

“Holy shit, Rhysie, you really did a number on these guys.” Jack marveled at the sight as Rhys helped him straighten up, the Eridian’s other hand grasping a wicked, spiky looking gun with bright purple trails running down the barrel. 

“It’s the best gun in my father’s arsenal,” Rhys smiled, wiggling his tail slightly. “I _stole_ it.”

“Aw man… _that’s_ my boy.” Jack smirked back, resting his head against Rhys’ chest as the lanky alien looped one of Jack’s arms over his bony shoulders, carefully holding Jack around the waist as the two of them stumbled out of the cell back towards the rest of Rhys’ rescue entourage. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was also prompted to write a reversed situation of this chapter, in which Rhys is captured and Jack has to save him: http://thethespacecoyote.tumblr.com/post/148236807965/alien-prince-rhys-curled-in-a-miserable-ball-on


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little side chapter before we get back into the plot of the clutch and the marriage c: I had an idea about Timothy being mutated by Eridian, and Jack brings him from Helios to Rhys' planet, thinking that maybe it might help him. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Ever since Jack had brought Timothy Lawrence along with him back to the Eridian home planet, Rhys had sensed something extremely off about him.

Rhys had believed at first glance, with slight surprise, that Jack had somehow brought an Eridian with him when he returned to the home-world. Indeed, from a distance Tim had looked much like Rhys and his people—tall, shaded in purples and blues and greys, with dimly glowing eyes and the standard claws and horns and tail. But as Rhys had approached the two of them with curiosity rising up in his chest, he quickly saw that the truth was something stranger altogether.

Tim was _not_ an Eridian, but he was also not human. The features that he shared with Rhys were odd, misshapen and stunted, as if he were an alien child who had had an adult stature foisted upon them. His tail was shorter and thicker and studded with awkward bone spurs, his claws uneven and chipped, his horns gnarled and knotted like an old tree. Rhys had forgot his manners for a moment when he had approached Timothy, his Eridian instincts taking over at the concerning creature before him. He had snapped out of it after a moment, but hadn’t been able to resist falling into standard Eridian greeting, leaning in to kiss the side of Tim’s neck, which hadn’t gone over too well with Jack until the prince had shut him up with a toothy kiss.

Still….the nature of Timothy’s appearance troubled him. Jack had grumbled, face hard and brow set, that Tim had been human at one point, but that there had been an….accident. Involving Eridium. After that, he explained, Tim had never been the same.

Despite Jack telling the prince there was nothing he could do, Rhys remained concerned. He’d slunk around Tim’s quarters, rapping slightly against the door. When he received only a raspy cough in response, Rhys had opened it, swishing inside with a concerned click.

“Timothy?” Rhys whispered, approaching the canopy of the guest bed. He reach forward, gingerly parting the curtains and peering through.

On the bed, wrapped up tight in the periwinkle blankets, lay Timothy—his small form crimped up in a painful curl, his stumpy tail swishing limply against the sheets. His misshaped teeth were set together in a pained hiss, eyes clenched together as the marks on his body glowed in stress. Every once and awhile he coughed harshly, glowing purple fluid squirting from between his teeth.

“Timothy!” Rhys exclaimed, subduing his voice to an urgent whisper when the mutated man flinched, eyes shooting open to stare at the prince. Rhys glided forward, softly sliding onto the edge of the bed. He settled his hand on the man’s shoulder, frowning at the lumpiness of Timothy’s flesh beneath his claws.

“Timothy….you’re hurting…” Rhys’ frowned, his white canines showing over his lips.

“I….no, I’m sorry…” Tim croaked trying to rub at his mouth, fluorescent purple spittle dribbling down his chin and staining the sheets below him

“You’re sick.”

“I…” Tim’s brow furrowed as tears gathered in his eyes. “I’m always like this…it’s all right.”

“No, it’s _not_ ,” Rhys fussed, dabbing at Timothy’s mouth with the hem of his tunic, “if you’re ill, you need somebody to take care of you.”

He gathered pillows under Timothy’s torso to help elevate it, quickly flitting about the bedroom and soaking a soft hand towel with the silvery water dripping from the bathroom fixtures. A quick call to some of the servants milling about the guests quarters ensured that some alimentary poultices and potions were on the way.

“You have been dealing with illness all on your own?” Rhys questioned softly as he sat by Timothy’s bedside, gently rubbing the soaked cloth along the man’s forehead. He was starting to look more lively already, less purple spittle dribbling down his lips, his eyes growing more focused and lucid.

“I just….I thought it was a part of the whole…you know, being mutated into an Eridian deal.” The man chuckled humorlessly, cut off in a small cough. Rhys stroked his claws through the man’s hair, urging him to relax.

“Rest, Timothy. I promise….I’m going to take care of you, okay?” There was a protective, instinctual urge tugging at Rhys’ heart. Deep down, he knew that the man was not fully Eridian, and yet…he was drawn to protect him, just as he would be drawn to protect any infirm member of his species.

As soon as he had applied the healing poultices to Timothy’s skin and made him drink a couple gulps of medicine, Rhys laid down with the mutated human, curling around Timothy and pressing his mouth into the soft fluff of his hair. The man was soon resting peacefully for the first time since the ordeal began, breath calm and features relaxed. So Rhys snuggled into the rucked sheets next to him, drifting off into a nap himself, his protective instincts satisfied.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the sin! Featuring horny, knocked up Rhys and Jack getting it on. c:
> 
> I want to do a couple more smutty chapters, so if you have any ideas, feel free to let me know!

Rhys had been moved from his old bedchamber into a new one, one that Jack found out was specifically designed for gestating Eridians. It was about the same size as Rhys’ old one, decorated with the same gauzy curtains and dimly glowing purple fixtures. Several Eridians loped about in silky robes, carrying saucers of water and plates of oddly colored food and earthy pastes. A sweet, flowery scent drifted into Jack’s nostrils as soon as he entered the room. It smelled of something ancient and primeval and beyond Jack’s understanding.

In the middle of the room was a massive, sunken in bed, rimmed by iridescent curtains that provided more privacy than the other gauzy decorations. Jack swallowed as he approached it, feeling the eyes of all the other aliens in the room on him as he pushed the curtains aside—it must be common knowledge by now that Jack had been the one to impregnate the prince.

There was a pale grey Eridian tending to Rhys when Jack entered into the nest, dabbing a silvery cloth along the prince’s lanky neck. Jack felt a curl of possessiveness rise up in his chest, a soft growl causing the Eridian to look his way, hunching over the resting prince, but Rhys waved at them with a lazy claw and clicked out in the language that was still foreign to Jack’s ears. The small Eridian rose up, quickly departing the nest and leaving Jack and Rhys alone.

The bed was firm beneath his feet, but unlike any mattress that Jack had felt before—he likened it to a water bed, but more solid, as he crept over to his mate. Rhys looked absolutely luxuriant in the bed, his long form swallowed by plump pillow and soft blankets tucked in all around him. His tail swished against the sheets as Jack drew closer, the prince giving his mate a sleepy smile when Jack took to his knees besides him. The white tips of his fangs poked out from behind his lips, his tongue quickly flitting out as he looked up at Jack with half-lidded eyes.

“Hey, star shine,” the human whispered softly, hand coming down to card through Rhys’ hair, “you look like you’re on cloud frikkin’ nine.” Rhys’ demeanor wasn’t all that surprising, considering the state of the nest and the thick, hormonal scent that clung to every bit of it—so strong that even Jack couldn’t ignore it.

“I _am._ ” Rhys purred, nuzzling down into the blankets. The Eridian’s body was like honey, drizzled about the sheets and absolutely sweet.

Jack thought he would’ve been driven crazy by now if someone had tried to keep him in bed for so long, but Rhys seemed to be enjoying it. Lazing away the hours of the day snuggling in a nest full of pillows, being waited on hand and tail.

Though, honestly, laying down with the pregnant Eridian and relaxing didn’t sound half bad right now.

Jack reclined besides Rhys, the prince’s smile widening as he wiggled towards his mate, tucking his head under Jack’s chin. His tail draped lazily over Jack’s hips as he pressed his lanky body as close as he could to the human. Jack could feel the prince’s swollen belly brush up against his own abdomen, inviting him to touch. Rhys purred deeply in his chest, nuzzling up against Jack’s chin as the man softly rubbed his belly, feeling the shapes of the eggs under his skin.

“How’s the brood today, babe?” Jack crooned softly to the Eridian, kissing the top of his head.

“Good.” Rhys’ breath was warm against Jack’s neck, “They’re growing so much but….it feels nice.”

“Mmmm. _This_ feels real nice, star shine. I might have to shack up with you until you’re ready to pop. This place is like a little slice of heaven.” He wasn’t going to complain about spending most of his time in his own private little grotto in a massive bed with a needy, pregnant alien fiancé. Even with no Eridian instincts, he was feel a prick of possessiveness and attentiveness at the sight and smell of his mate. Rhys let out a small fuss when Jack shifted, sitting up slightly but the human quieted him with a finger pressed to his toothy mouth as Jack gingerly lifted the blankets and tugging the hem of Rhys’ silky robes up over his swollen belly. From beneath the matte periwinkle of Rhys’ skin, he could see the soft, glowing orbs of the eggs inside of him like a swollen sort of honeycomb. He raised an eyebrow and pressed a curious palm against the prince’s stomach, watching the glowing shapes compress softly under his touch. A soft gasp whistled past the Eridian’s teeth as Jack lifted the pressure, a fond smile passing over the human’s lips.

“Oh _oh_. Look how sensitive you are.” The prince squirmed, rubbing his thighs together. “All soft and ripe….just itching for Jack to take care of you, huh.”

Rhys nodded, eyes still half lidded and sluggish but with a slight sparkle of interest bright in their depths. His kiss was mostly loose lips and tongue, with a soft prick of fangs as Jack leaned down to capture his mouth. The Eridian was loose and needy—absolutely  _trusting_ in a way Jack hadn’t seen before.

He kept Rhys on his side, the prince seemingly the most comfortable that way for now—they had plenty of time and energy to try new positions out anyway. Rhys had already began to leak from his groin, slicking up his skin as Jack pressed the Eridian’s thighs together. Rhys lifted his tail, coiling it around his own torso and draping over his belly so they Jack could comfortably spoon up against him. The usually questioning and curious looks from the prince were gone this time around, replaced by gentle, warm trust as Rhys let Jack position his body, allowed the human to slide the tip of his cock in between the Eridian’s smooth thighs.

Jack felt Rhys’ cloaca flower open as he starts to thrust between the prince’s legs, the dorsal side of his cock rubbing up against Rhys’ slick groin. The Eridian’s breaths started to pick up, his clawed hand quickly finding Jack’s and grasping it tight against the soft sheets as Jack’s other hand planted on the alien’s hip, holding it in place as he fucks up against his genitalia. Rhys moaned as Jack’s shaft rubbed between the folds of his groin, feeling the small appendages within him start to slither forth towards the source of the stimulation. Jack snapped his hips, the alien’s thighs slicked with his own juices as Jack fucked between them. He felt the first warm, slimy tip of Rhys’ tentacles begin to stroke against his cock, lightly grasping at the shaft as they thickened and tensed with Rhys’ arousal. The glowing freckles on Rhys’ shoulder shimmered like small votive candles, flickering in the wind of their sex.  

It became harder to thrust as the tentacles from Rhys’ groin started to grab onto his cock in earnest, slimy purple appendages wrapping around the shaft as Jack moaned and jerked his hips forward into the warm, wriggling sensation. Rhys’ voice disintegrated quickly as he rutted back into Jack, any grasp of English lost in a series of alien gibbers and moans as he rubbed his cloaca down against Jack’s trapped cock. The eggs in his belly trembled like starlit gelatin as both he and Jack were reduced to senseless, abortive rutting until Rhys came, his tentacles and thighs squeezing around Jack’s cock and soaking it in fluid that’s painted over with streaks of come seconds later as Jack bit into Rhys’ spindly neck with a furious groan.

Jack lost himself in the orgasmic bliss, the air thick with the smell of his pregnant mate’s release, leaving him dazed and pleasured, drifting in a drunken haze. He was distantly aware of Rhys’ shifting around in his arms, the heavy weight of his tail curling around the human’s waist. He fluttered his eyes open to find Rhys facing him, looking just as lazy and satisfied as Jack felt. Rhys lips moved, but nothing that Jack could understand came out, but somehow that was all right. Jack got it.

The far off, rational part of his mind informed Jack that he was probably sticky and covered in both his own come and Rhys’ glowing release, but he couldn’t drag himself back to give a shit. Rhys was the friggin’ prince, and Jack could afford to take a moment to chill with his sweet, knocked up little cupcake if he wanted to.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see!
> 
> In this quick little chapter, the eggies come! I hope everyone likes it c:

Jack was sleeping soundly in the nest, surrounded by the globs of pillows and blankets that had gradually amassed over the recent weeks. He hugged one of the pillows to his chest, grumbling and sleepily nuzzling against the fabric when something long and thin poked his cheek. The human’s brows furrowed momentarily, trying to ignore the prodding but it continued, eventually ending in a sharp pink that made Jack hiss and snap awake, fuzzily lashing out as he jolted up. 

“W-What, what the hell?” Jack murmured, scrubbing at his face and squinting in the purple dark of the nest. Through the faint illumination around their bed, he could see the outline of Rhys, sitting straight up. The alien’s tail agitated against Jack’s thigh, something more insistent than usual in Rhys’ movements. That and the change in the scent of the nest, which slowly wormed its way into Jack’s nostrils, had the human suddenly on edge.

“Is something wrong? Rhys, what is it?” Jack fumbled forward, squinting at his mate and trying to get a grasp on the situation. He could see the way Rhys’ was biting his lip, the way his eyebrows were knit together in discomfort, the way the alien was gripping his swollen stomach with both hands—

_Oh_. 

 Jack gaped down at Rhys’ stomach, his brain suddenly short-circuiting. Rhys was…he was…

“I…I think the eggs are coming, Jack…” The Eridian finally spoke, his voice slightly labored with pain. 

The next couple of minutes were a complete blur to Jack—the moment the human called for help, the nest was overrun with Eridian nurses, flocking to Rhys and nearly crowding Jack out from around his mate. Jack chuffed, letting out an angry growl as the aliens surrounded around his laboring mate, but he was largely ignored and swatted aside until Rhys’ voice cut above the clamor, demanding that Jack remain by his side. 

Jack tried to ignore the way the nurse’s side-eyed him, clearly suspicious of having a _human_ so close to their vulnerable prince, but Jack didn’t give a shit, honestly. Not when his babies were on the verge of being born…uh…. _laid_. 

Rhys back was propped up against a lump of pillows assembled near the head of the nest, the alien’s claws fisting into the silken sheets as he spread his legs, tail lashing absently about. Jack watched with awe as Rhys’ stomach visibly spasmed, the prince letting out a pained moan even as the nurses soothed him, rubbing some kind of opalescent lotion into his stomach as they undid the robe from around the prince, leaving him completely bare. 

“Ja _aaaack_ ….” Rhys moaned, turning his head towards the human and looking up at him with wide eyes, tears starting to edge into the corner despite the best efforts of his nurses to stem the pain. Jack felt his heart surge in his chest—he knew that this was part of the whole labor thing, and that it would be all right, but still, it was hard to see Rhys moaning and on the verge of tears like this. He squeezed the Eridian’s clawed hand, giving a kiss to one of his knuckles.

“It’s gonna be all right, star shine. Okay? You’re going to be okay.” He whispered reassurances to the young prince as his labor progressed, stomach clenching and vibrating as the eggs started to work their way down through Rhys’ body. 

Rhys screeched when the first egg dropped down in his birth canal, the nurses doing their best to calm him and encourage him to push. Rhys shook his head, tail thrashing around in agony as tears fell flush down his cheeks. Jack redoubled his efforts, soothing his mate and trying to keep his voice calm even as Rhys’ fingers crushed and squeezed against his hand. 

“The first egg is coming, your majesty!” One of the nurses called between Rhys’ legs, staring so intently that Jack couldn’t help but peer over. The nurse shot him an admonishing look, but Jack growled in response—if she had a problem with Jack wanting to see the birth of _his_ baby, then she could just frikkin’ deal with it. 

He watched in awe as Rhys continued to push, letting out pained puffs of air as he bore down on the egg. Jack’s eyes widened as the folds of Rhys’ genitals gradually parted, a slick, shiny purple shape beginning to press outwards into the world. He had to remind himself to breath as he watched, Rhys letting out a loud, lengthy groan as he finally clenched down and pushed the egg out onto the sheets in a rush of translucent violet slick. Jack stared dumbly, lips parted slightly in amazement. He reached out, fingers resting lightly on the gradually drying shell of the egg, ignoring the indignant hiss of the nurse. It was warm, and Jack swore he could feel _movement_ underneath. 

It took Rhys nearly an hour to birth all of their offspring, the prince thoroughly exhausted by the time all eight eggs laid between his legs, warm and streaked with purple slick. Jack’s chest thrummed with love and pride as he kissed Rhys’ hand, the prince’s fingers now slack as Rhys melted back into the sheets, his tail curling lazily as he let out soft, content moans. The nurses bundled the eggs up in an armful of soft blankets, holding them carefully out to Rhys, who took it with a pleased purr. Jack crowded in close next to him, an affectionate smile on his lips as he took in the sight of the clutch in his mate’s arms.

“Look at that….look at what you did, star shine…I’m so proud of you…” Jack whispered softly, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on Rhys’ temple. The prince chuckled softly, nuzzling Jack back as he held the clutch close to his chest.

“ _We_ did it, Jack….” Rhys rested his head against the human’s shoulder, his tail winding up Jack’s leg to curl warmly against his calf. “We’re parents.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've been on Tumblr, you know that Beautiful_Doom has been helping me co-write certain parts of the Eridian Prince AU, so I'm going to be posting their contributions here now!
> 
> Anyway, here is the hatching of the babies! :3

There were eight eggs total, and seven had already hatched. Rhys was busy making sure they were all checked over by the royal physicians, but Jack was focused on the one lone egg that was still in the nest. This egg had been the smallest of the clutch, and Rhys had been giving it sad looks for the past week or two. While the other hatchlings squabbled and voiced whatever displeasures they had, Jack was scratching his head over the last egg.

  
“Hey, starshine?” He called, not taking his eyes away. “Could you come here, please?”

  
“Yes, Dearest?” Rhys came over, looking happy and excited at their new family. “What is it? You haven’t seen the children yet-”

  
“Because I’m worried about this one,” Jack interrupted. The egg in question continued to shake and twitch, but that was all it did. Rhys looked at it with another sad expression and patted Jack’s shoulder.

  
“Darling, that’s the runt of the litter. If it has not hatched yet, then it must be too weak to do so.” His eyes, normally so bright were full of resigned defeat, and Jack was confused.

  
“What do you mean, cupcake? What’s going to happen if it doesn’t hatch soon?” The egg continued to wobble, but the shell held firm against the tiny baby trying to break free.

  
“If it doesn’t hatch… then it will die. It is custom that we do not help our children hatch. They must do so on their own, or they will perish. Any eggs that do not hatch are burned at the altar of our gods so they may be reborn into another life where they may try again-”

  
“Bullshit,” Jack once again interrupted with a growl. Rhys stepped back with an incredulous expression.

  
“Darling, I’m sorry you must see this, but this is the way things are-”

  
“You’re the freaking prince!” Jack roared. “You can do what you want!” He was livid. He couldn’t believe that Rhys was really going to let their baby die like this, and even as Jack watched the egg, the twitches and movement became weaker. The baby inside was dying, drowning in its own fluids. Jack could only picture little tiny clawed hands trying to break through the shell. This was custom? To hell with it. Jack had nothing to lose and another baby to gain.

  
“No,” he finally said, snatching up the egg. “No kid of mine is dying if I can help it. You don’t wanna help? Fine, but get your ass out of my way.” He began looking around for something to help him, even as he squeezed and dug his fingers into the egg. The shell was tough even for a human, and all he managed to do were a few cracks. He managed to find a small hammer used to test reflexes. Perfect! He grabbed it up and began using it to hit the egg.

  
The nurses and physicians all voiced concerns to the prince. Jack was ignoring their customs, ignoring their very prince. Rhys himself as confused over why Jack was getting angry. He had seen Jack kill many times, and the man never so much as bat an eye, but now… now he looked like a man possessed as he hammered away at the egg. Rhys waved the others off and told them to care for the other hatchlings. He had a duty to them, not to some runt.

  
Jack had finally managed to get a hole in the shell. Purple goop poured out, and Jack could swear he hear a tiny gasp from within. He kept going until he was tearing bigger pieces away. Tiny hands tried to help them, but they couldn’t do much. In the end, Jack finally had the hatchling out and was wiping them off.

  
The baby was small, smaller even than human babies, and they were choking. Jack rushed to clear their airway and pat their back a few times until the baby was breathing freely. Their skin was a bit paler than the others, their tail a bit shorter, their horns just tiny little nubs. He held the baby up with a streak of pride, and then the baby opened their big eyes.

  
_Oh._

  
One bright blue, and the other whited out. Jack heard one of the nurses hiss how this runt was half blind, but Jack barely heard her. He was so… overwhelmed. This baby had survived with his help, and right there Jack made a promise to protect this little one. The runt began to cry and Jack notice how cold they were. He pulled his jacket off and wrapped the crying infant in it, holding them close to warm them. The baby quieted down and Jack turned to Rhys with a smile.

  
“It’s a boy,” he said, voice delirious with relief and joy. “It’s a handsome little boy.”

  
Rhys managed his own small smile, happy that his fiancé was so protective, even if he was misguided. At the same time, he knew he was going to have to do a lot of damage control because of Jack’s actions. Still, he let him have this moment, however sacrilegious it was.

  
“What are you going to name him?” He asked. Play along, don’t tell him what he’s done. Don’t tell him what will happen soon because of it.

  
Jack considered the little hatchling who was tugging on the clasps of his mask, little tail wagging slowly, and little teeth gnawing on his other fist. That bright blue eye was staring up at him curiously…

  
And then he smiled.

  
Jack gave a chuckle of his own, suddenly forgetting any other possible name but his own.

  
“Jack Jr.,” he finally said. “His name is Jack Jr…”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a fluffy little chapter courtesy of Beautiful_Doom with Jack bonding with Jack Jr. c:

“Starshine?” Jack asked as he entered Rhys’s office where he did princely royal duties. “Have you seen my Hyperion sweater?”

  
Rhys looked up from the trade agreements he was currently perusing and frowned.

  
“You mean that hideous eyesore that you insist on wearing despite my asking you not to?” He went back to the many papers spread out before him. “Haven’t seen it, darling. Where have you looked so far?”

  
“The kitchen, the throne room, the ballroom, the garden, our bedroom, our bathroom, the washing room, the great hall, the dining hall, the east hall, the west hall,” Jack was ticking off locations on his fingers, scowl deepening the further he went. He’d just had it the other day and then it had suddenly vanished. Rhys gave a low chuckle of amusement at Jack’s frustration. He really did often wonder why Jack was so insistent on keeping that old sweater. It was a garish color that clashed with whatever Rhys was wearing, the material wasn’t even that soft, and there were no human customs or traditions that demanded Jack wear it. It wasn’t a uniform or a symbol, it was just an old sweater.

  
“Ugh, you’re making fun of me,” Jack whined like an overgrown child, causing Rhys to laugh.

  
“I’m sorry, dearest. I just can’t fathom why you’re so attached to that thing. But I promise you that I really haven’t seen it. I’ll keep an eye out for it when I can, but right now I need to look these over,” the prince said. “Just keep looking. If you need help you can ask for Vaughn to assist you.”

  
Jack growled, but stomped away.

  
He looked around in the other rooms again before zeroing in on the one room he hadn’t looked yet: the nursery. Eight royal hatchlings were all settled down for their afternoon naps, so Jack was careful and quiet when he entered and began to look around and under the beds. He about gave up until he noticed something familiar sitting on top of the very last bed in the row. It was Jack Jr.’s bed and the yellow sweater was sitting in a lump atop the sheets. Jack grinned and reached out to take it--

  
It moved.

  
Jack blinked and stared at the now empty spot as the sweater moved to the edge and plopped onto the floor. It began to quickly move out the door, and Jack followed it, easily able to keep up. He frowned at the garment as it continued it’s slow trek over the floor and down the hall. What was moving it? An animal? One of those vault monster pets? What could have been in the nursery that stole his sweater?

  
The sweater suddenly ran into a doorway with a yelp. Jack reached down to pick it up but a small hand popped out of it and bat at his fingers. A head followed and Jack chuckled when he saw none other than Jack Jr. looking up at him with watery eyes and rubbing his forehead where he had hit it on the doorway. Jack once again tried to pick up the sweater, but Jack Jr. held it tighter and began to cry.

  
Jack realized what was going on with a heavy sigh. Jack Jr. was using his sweater as some kind of security blanket and did not want to give it up. Well shit, that was Jack’s favorite sweater from his vault hunting days, and he was reluctant to give it up. But as he watched Jack Jr. continue to cry and cuddle the sweater, he realized it was a lost cause.

  
“Fine, little munchkin, you can keep it,” he sighed again and picked Jack Jr. up, letting him hold the sweater. The hatchling began to quiet down and bury his tear streaked face in the yellow material. He was calm by the time Jack got him back to the nursery, and was falling asleep when Jack put him back to bed. Jack Jr. cuddled the sweater with a purr and gnawed on his tail as he slowly fell asleep.

  
Jack was still smiling softly when he returned to Rhys.

  
“Oh,” the prince looked up once again. “Still no luck?”

  
“Nah, I found it,” Jack grinned smugly. “And now there’s no way you can get rid of it.”

  
“Is that so?” Rhys tilted his head. “And what do you mean by that?”

  
“Little Jack Jr. has it now, and he’s not letting it go,” Jack chuckled Rhys’s dismayed expression. The prince groaned and banged his head on his desk.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fluffy chapter from Beautiful_Doom c: Featuring a little bit of angst though....Enjoy!

Jack was pissed.

  
As always, the royal nanny had taken the kids outside to play and have fun while him and Rhys worked. But when Jack had gone back to the royal chambers for his tablet, he’d heard crying coming from the nursery. Jack Jr. was sitting on the floor and clutching Jack’s Hyperion sweater. All alone.

  
That asshole nanny had left him behind. Again!

  
Jack ground his teeth with a growl, but quickly picked the little runt up. Jack Jr. sniffled and hiccuped, burying his little face in Jack’s shoulder. He comforted the baby while wishing every painful death imaginable on the nanny. He’d have words with Rhys about what was happening, and the blatant neglect for the little one. But first? He was going to take his son out to play.

  
The royal gardens were massive and very beautiful. Lush blue grass and tall trees that shed leaves that were like silk and shone in the moonlight. A stone path that wound this way and that around ponds and fountains and eridium statues. Benches and gazebos allowed a wonderful view while resting, but Jack strode past them and plopped the little baby in the middle of the flowers. Jr. was at the stage where he was very curious… and where he wanted to put everything into his mouth. Almost immediately he tried to bite a large yellow flower.

  
“Ah, no no kiddo,” Jack pulled him away. “We don’t eat these. We smell them.” Jr. whined and stuck his tongue out, which Jack returned. Jr. started laughing at his dad’s funny face, and Jack found himself chuckling too. The runt always managed to cheer him up or bring lots of smiles from Jack, which he found odd. He’d been around plenty of babies before, but they always seemed like drooling stinky little gremlins that made funny sounds. This baby, however, was perfect. Screw what all the others said.  
Jack Jr. began to crawl around, yet another sign of his delayed progress. The others were walking by now, something about eridians developing faster than humans. Since the runt was still crawling, it brought out looks of scorn and sneers from the other aliens. Jack had met each one with either a gun to the face or a sneer of his own, depending on the other’s rank…

  
Jack Jr. babbled away as he plucked a flower from the ground. A glowing bug flew from the petals and landed on his nose. Jack laughed at how Jr. had to cross his eyes to see the bug (though he was only able to see from one), and watched a pudgy hand come up to try to catch it. The bug flew off and Jack Jr. whined until something else caught his attention. Jack let Jr. crawl around, preferring to pluck the nearby flowers and weave them together. He’d made his share of flower crowns before. Back when… when she was still alive. Jack froze when he remembered a bright sunny day in a garden smaller than this.

  
_A little girl was giggling as she chased butterflies and climbed the nearby trees. Jack was weaving flowers together for her. She loved flower crowns, calling herself the Flower Princess. Bright blue eyes watched him weave and a smile that was missing many teeth was pointed in his direction._

  
_“Is it done?” She whined. She had Jack wrapped around her finger and she knew it. Jack just ruffled her dark hair and went back to work._

  
_“Relax, kiddo. It’s not going anywhere. You want it to look pretty then you’ll have to give Daddy some time.”_

  
_“Awww! How long?”_

  
_“Just a little longer, I promise,” And then she’d blow a raspberry and go back to playing with the bugs and trees. As soon as Jack finished, she’d be right back at his side, and he’d set the crown on her head._

  
_“There you go, princess.”_

  
_“The Princess of Flowers!”_

  
Jack blinked and looked around as if surprised he was somewhere else. He Jr. was chewing on a stem with pink petals hanging out of his mouth, but jack made no mood to stop him. After a moment, he shook his head and reached forward to fish the petals out. Jr. whined and tried to bite, but his little nubby teeth did no damage at all. Jack chuckled and pulled the runt into his lap.

  
“I told you, we don’t eat those. Rhys will be mad if he found out I let you eat flower,” he said, wiping pollen from Jack Jr.’s lips. Jr. blew a raspberry to get the rest out of his mouth, then started chewing on Jack’s shirt instead. Jack set the crown on Jr.’s head, but the runt just tilted his head curiously.

  
“I don’t care what they say,” Jack adjusted the crown. “You’re my son, and you’re royalty. I’m not gonna abandon you because you’re small. I’ll be right there to keep you safe. I won’t let you get hurt. Not like… not like her…”

  
Jr. stuck out his tongue and babbled as Jack pulled him into a hug. He poked Jack’s cheek and didn’t notice how wet it felt.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh ho ho, here's some angst that's been long in coming.....Jack has to put his money where his mouth when it comes to saving Jack Jr. 
> 
> Go Jack go, save your baby!

Jack had thought that, once he had saved the baby from the egg, it would be all over, and everyone present would accept his decision. But that hadn’t been further from the truth.

For starters, the royal nurses had barely wanted to touch the runt, conveniently “forgetting” about him when they tended to the line of smooth, egg-shaped cribs in the nursery. Jack had found that if he and Rhys weren’t there to casually “remind” them, then he would be drawn to Jack Jr.’s side later on by the baby’s wails of hunger. Even still, the nurses often cut up bits of meat that were too big for the runt to chew properly with its teeth, leading Jack to often have to intervene lest his child choke under their negligence. It angered Jack, and more than that—it frustrated him that Rhys didn’t seem _nearly_ as furious as he was. Rhys still looked at the baby with a forlorn expression, like he were a terminally ill kitten, shying away from bonding with Jack Jr. as thoroughly as he was doing with the other hatchlings. Rhys was acting the same way he had been back when the runt was trapped inside of the egg. Jack didn’t _get it_ , yeah the baby was small, but all his checkups had come back healthy, so he didn’t understand Rhys’ and the nurse’s deal. Jack was going to make sure the kiddo survived.

Jack was sitting alone in the nursery one evening, the rest of the hatchlings already laid down for sleep in their little cribs. He had the runt cuddled up close to his chest, the baby wrapped in a tiny blanket with its little clawed hands covered in small, fuzzy yellow mittens. Just so Jack Jr. wouldn’t accidentally scratch itself or catch a claw in his eye. Warm bloomed in Jack’s chest as the baby grabbed for his finger, nibbling lightly on the tip as soon as he caught it. The man chuckled, letting Jack Jr. teeth his nubby little fangs against his skin.

“Jack?” Came the voice of his mate. Jack looked up to see Rhys standing in the doorway of the nursery. “Can you come with me, please? And bring uh…bring Jack Jr. Yeah.”

“What’s the deal, star shine? You know if Jack Jr. doesn’t get put down to bed on time, he gets all pissy.” Jack whispered as he rose up, walking slowly towards his mate as he tucked the baby closer to his chest, Jack Jr. happily snuggling up to him, little paws patting at his shirt.

“It’s nothing…just, my parents and their court would like to see the baby. Officially, you know? It’s just weird Eridian stuff…”

“Oh, some kind of alien ceremony deal or something?” Jack worried his lip, looking down at the runt, feeling the baby’s little puffs of breath through his shirt. “Can’t it wait ’til tomorrow?”

“He’ll be fine, Jack, my parents just want to see him very quickly and have him blessed.” Rhys nodded a little too quickly, a smile reaching his lips only after the words had left his mouth. It was weird, but hell Rhys was always a little weird after all. So Jack adjusted the baby in his arms so that he wouldn’t rock around too much as they walked, before starting after his mate.

However, nervousness prickled up in him again as soon as he realized that they weren’t heading in the direction of the throne room. He suspiciously watched the back of Rhys’ head as the Eridian led him through winding halls down into the belly of the palace. Jack bit his tongue as they walked down a darkened hallway full of luminous purple torches, a foreboding iron door coming into view at the end that made Jack’s hairs stand on end.

“Rhys…”

“We’re almost there, Jack. It will be over before you know it.” Came Rhys clipped tone, and Jack was about to open his mouth to retort when suddenly the doors in front of them creaked open, pinked light flowing into the darkened hallway as two Eridian guards were revealed. Jack slowed down for a moment, looking suspiciously at the guards, but then Rhys turned around and looked at Jack with such an innocent, questioning look that the human was compelled to follow—albeit with a tighter hold on Jack Jr.  

The room was massive and vaguely tear-shaped, the ceiling vaulted upwards in the middle, pink and alabaster airbrushed on like they were looking up into a seashell. The room was dominated by a raised stone dais in the middle, studded with shards of glowing purple crystal that glimmered against the pearly floor and the bodies of the groups of Eridians that turned their heads the moment that Jack and Rhys entered.

Jack immediately felt on edge with all the aliens looking at him. He held the Jack Jr. closer to his chest, eyes swinging about suspiciously as he followed Rhys further into the room, trying to stay close to his prince and away from the other Eridians. He could see Rhys’ parents sitting in a pair of thrones across the room from them, but to Jack’s surprise Rhys didn’t head for them, instead moving towards the raised platform in the middle, and the lone Eridian that stood upon in.  

He was dressed in voluminous, satiny-pale robes that opened at the sides, exposing the smooth indigo skin at the waist. His black horns pulled and tapered over the back of his long, bluish hair, cold azure eyes fixing on the prince and the human as they approached. His clawed toes clacked against the stone dais as he descended the small steps.

“Is this the child?” The Eridian hissed, extending his claws out to Jack. He instinctively pulled Jack Jr. closer to his chest, shying away from the strange alien—this guy was bad news, Jack could sense it.

“What’s this? Like some kind of weird alien baptism or something?” Jack questioned, anxiously stroking the runt’s back. The baby had started to squirm a little more, agitated by all the new sights and smells in the room. The tip of his pink tongue stuck out between his lips as he blinked slowly up at Jack, the eyelids over his blind eye fluttering a little slower than that of the other.

“Jack….” Rhys voice soothed, his claws stroking against Jack’s forearm, “I promise you it’s safe….please hand him over.”

Jack glanced from Rhys, to the priest, and back to the runt—he wanted to trust his mate, but at the same time there was something about the whole situation that just did _not_ sit right with him. Still, despite his worries he held out the runt to Rhys, who passed it into the Eridian— _priest’s_? _—_ claws. Rhys then pressed the flat of his palm against Jack, making the human to take several steps back away from the dais as the priest ascended the steps.

But then the indigo Eridian turned, and Jack could clearly see a brilliant, curved knife thrust through his gilded belt. He knew that he had made a grave mistake.

“Rhys…” Jack started, voice dipping into a growl, “tell me the truth…what’s going on?”

“Jack….I told you, everything is going to be fine.” Rhys pressed harder against the man’s chest, trying to get Jack to back off away from the steps, but the human wasn’t having it.

“Bull _shit_ , Rhysie.” Jack started towards the priest ascending the stone dais, only to nearly have the wind knocked out of him as his mate’s thin arms dove forward and wrapped around his waist. The sudden restraint only served to make the human panic, immediately struggling against Rhys’, hands clawing at Rhys’ arms.

“Like hell you’re gonna keep me from him, kiddo!” Jack tried pulling forward, but Rhys’ arms tightened around him. Jack nearly tripped as Rhys’ tail lashed forward to wind around his calf, keeping the human rooted in place even as he struggled and shouted. Jack felt his fury building, switching between shouting at Rhys and to the rest of the gathered Eridians—honestly, anyone who would listen, who would take mercy on an innocent frikkin’ kid.

“What the hell is your problem, Rhys! What are you wackos going to do to him?” Jack howled, watching in horror as the priest above him unsheathed the thin dagger from his belt, stiffly cradling the child as he looked down with a grim expression. Jack felt his mouth go dry, his head shaking imperceptibly.

“No, you can’t! You can’t just kill him! You can’t just kill him when he hasn’t…when he hasn’t even had a chance to prove to you what he can do!” Jack shouted at Rhys, his face growing red with fear and anger.

“Jack, please, it—it has to be like this.”

“Hell no, no way! Maybe _you_ think he’s worthless and he can’t do anything but what the hell do you know if you don’t give him a chance to grow up and make you eat those frikkin’ words!”

“Jack…” Rhys’ voice was heavy, “I’m…I’m sorry…”

It broke Jack’s god damn heart as he watched the priest carry the baby up the steps to the top of the dais. Jack Jr. burbled and giggled blithely, not understanding the severity of what was going on. It made Jack’s heart plummet into his stomach—the kid implicitly trusted a member of his own species, wouldn’t even think anything of it until a knife plunged into his little chest.

The futility of the situation wracked through Jack, making him swear and hang his head in pain—he had _tried_ to save the little kiddo when he’d first hatched, but it didn’t frikkin’ matter, ‘cause these assholes had planned to kill him all along.

Rhys swallowed as he watched the man in his arms lose hope. The alien prince hated this, truly, not wanting Jack to have to go through the pain of losing a child, but Rhys didn’t have any choice. He bit his lip, looking away as the priest raised the dagger, ready to cut the burbling baby’s happy cries short.

“Rhys.” The alien perked up, eyes falling to Jack. He couldn’t see the man’s face from the position he was holding him in, but could feel the dead, defeated weight against his arm.

“Yes?”

“I love you….but….I’m not letting that kid go.”

Jack’s hands were moving more quickly than Rhys could stop them, the man’s fingers rapidly pressing up against the underside of the Eridian’s jaw—a spot he had explored many times when the two were in bed, a spot that made the alien shiver and mewl in boneless pleasure—and that was just what happened as Jack stimulated the site. Rhys vision went a little fuzzy, his hold weakening a little as pleasure thrummed through his body, and before he knew it Jack was free of his arms and hurtling towards the altar.

“J-Jack, wait!” Rhys slurred, but it was too late. The royal priest turned to see the furious human barrel on up to him, hands quickly snatching the oblivious runt from the alien’s grasp just as the knife was about to descend. The priest bared his fangs in anger, body set in a challenge that Jack returned twofold. The human even growled his teeth and snapped back at the indigo Eridian, pressing the squirming runt protectively against his chest.

“Don’t you _dare_ ,” Jack snarled, fingers splayed over the baby’s back, “lay a hand on _my_ child ever again.”

“ _Your_ child?” The priest snapped, tail swishing angrily against the stone dais. “That child belongs to _all_ Eridians, its death benefits _all_ Eridians. Don’t prod into things you couldn’t possibly understand, _human_.”

“Bite me, chucklehead.” Jack held firm, even against the furious alien before him. He hugged the runt tighter against his chest, even as the baby squeaked curiously.

“The clutch must be blessed with _blood_.” The priest hissed, eyes narrowing at Jack

“You want blood?” Jack snarled at the gathered Eridians as he grabbed the priest’s knife in the hand that wasn’t clutching the runt, holding it up in the cold purple light of the room as a serious of gasps and hisses rattled the assembled aliens. He could see out of the corner of his eye, Rhys’ parents rise slightly from their thrones. He could even hear the terrified cry of his mate as he shouted out _Jack_ —!

Screw it. Jack had _tried_ being calm and level-headed, but at the end of the day what spoke the loudest to the Eridian race was violence.

So Jack plunged the tip of the knife into the right cheek of his face, dragging it up along the bridge of his nose, arching it over his brow to come down on the other side, just barely missing his other eye. And oh god it hurt, it frikkin’ stung like a taint, but it was nothing compared to what he would feel if he let them kill his child.

The Eridian priest froze at the sight, eyes widening in surprised as Jack carved a sharp, upside down V-into his face before holding the dagger aloft, red blood dripping down the handle and pattering onto the smooth surface of the stone dais.

The room was dead quiet, save for the occasional whispered chitters among that gathered Eridians as they watched with bated breath. The priest’s eyes slitted at the dripping dagger, before they fell back to Jack, a nasty snaggle on his lips.

“You think your filthy human blood can substitute that of an Eridian?” The priest hissed furiously, undulating tail smearing the streaks of blood against the grooves in the floor. Jack snarled as the priest again tried to approach him, leveling the dagger with the Eridian’s belly, ready to gut the alien as soon as those thick claws tried swinging for his head, when a sudden, imperious cry cut through the tension in the room.

“ _Enough_.”

Jack snapped his head in the direction of the voice, his eyes falling upon the carved purple thrones at the head of the room, and the Eridian standing and fixing both him and the priest with an icy stare.

It was Rhys’ mother.

The lean, lanky Eridian walked across the room in slow, measured steps before ascending the dais, her tail clipping against the stone as she approached the priest and the human. Jack felt slightly more relaxed in her presence, but he still stood on guard as the tyrian queen’s eyes swept from the priest, down over the flecks of blood on the floor, before settling on Jack, who still clung tight to both the squirming runt and the knife.

“Jack Lawrence of Hyperion…” The queen started, unfolding her long claws from within her sleeves, stretching them out towards the human, “may I hold my grandchild?”

Jack worried his lip—standing up to some dirtbag priest was one thing, but the queen was something else entirely—at the same time, he felt an implicit wave of trust come over him, as he cautiously held out the curious child to his grandmother.

The room was completely silent as the queen looked over the child in her claws, trailing her fingers gently over the baby’s soft skin. Jack Jr. let out a happy cry, nuzzling against her claw before sucking at the tip. Jack could see a touch of a smile reaching the queen’s drawn lips as she looked up, turning to the priest.

“I see no reason why the young should continue to pay for the suffering of others. No one is to lay a hand on this child….is that understood?” The priest blinked in astonishment, lips parting open in a hiss.

“I—yes, but your Highness, the gods—“

“If the gods are displeased with my decision, then they will have their Eridian blood. I will spill every last drop from my own veins.” She spoke firmly, handing the child back into Jack’s arms. The dagger slid from the man’s fingers, clattering to the ground as he held his son with both arms.

The baby smiled, little clawed hands grasping at Jack’s shirt, happy to be back in his father’s embrace as Jack kissed the top of the kid’s head, deeply inhaling his smell. His eyes were full of gratitude as he tipped his head towards the queen.

“ _Jack_!” The human turned to see Rhys clatter up the dais, glowing purple tears cascading down the prince’s cheeks as he surged towards his mate.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” Rhys whimpered, wrapping his arms and tail around Jack’s body, cradling the child between them. For a moment, Jack stiffened, still aroused and upset by Rhys’ deception, but it was impossible to stay angry at his mate after such an emotional situation. So Jack relaxed, letting the prince hug and scent all over him, wary to keep his bleeding face away from Rhys’ skin.

“Hey, hey…c’mon, baby, no tears, kid’s safe, all right? Momma watchin’ out for us…” Jack purred to the prince, the hand not cradling the baby softly rubbing over Rhys’ back, trying to comfort the upset alien.

“I….yes but….your _face_ , you’re hurt…” Rhys whimpered, worried eyes roaming over Jack’s bloody face.

“Still handsome though, right babe?” Jack chuckled, watching as Rhys’ face collapsed into blubbering tears even harder, the Eridian burying his face into Jack’s shoulder. They held each other close for a moment, losing track of everyone else in the room, not caring about how this might look to the crowds of Eridians that had gathered to see the ceremony.

Jack pulled a little away from Rhys as the baby between them started to fuss, Jack Jr. turning his attention towards the warmth and scent of his brood mother, looking up at Rhys with big wide eyes, little pink tongue flicking happily between his nubby teeth.

”I promise you, Rhys….he’ll show you how amazing he can be…” Jack whispered, cautiously holding Jack Jr. out to the prince.

“Thank you…” Rhys whispered softly, taking and cradling the runt against his chest and nuzzling its little head. The runt squeaked happily and rubbed his face against Rhys’ chin, enjoying the prince’s scent and comfort, finally able to properly bond without the pall of death hanging above them.


End file.
